Auto Insurance Claims: losses/diminished value, suzuki reno, safety function

Question
ok short version/ our son was rear ended by a drunk driver while sitting at a red light who in turn left the scene of the accidident and was apprehended 5 miles away thanks to a witness.the at faultdrivers Insurance company Geico reccomended a repair shop and we agreed and took car in to be repaired. car is a 2007 suzuki reno that suffered6,800 dollars in damage , including structural and suspension damage. 31 days later Geico appraiser called us at 4 pm the day before he demanded car be picked up and terminated our rental car. we picked up car at 8 am next morning. we  took several pictures then left with car after closer inspection when getting home we found several blemishes in paint,a piece of molding was lost on highway,bumper falling off,tail light cracked, lift gate will not open. our concern after seeing this is how well the repairs are to the structural parts that we can not see. we feel really at a loss and are nervous to put our son back in this car.what is the course of action we should take ?also we are seeking the diminished value of the vehicle

Answer
Hi Dennis,

At this point you should call GEICO and the body shop and explain your concerns.  It appears the shop needs to make corrective repairs.

The shop should return the car to pre-loss condition with regard to safety, function, and appearance.  Make a list of your concerns and make sure you point out each problem in person to the shop manager.

You should not have to pay for additional rental while the corrective repairs are made.  This should be paid by either GEICO or the shop.  Ask GEICO who will pay the extra rental.

Regarding Diminished value, this is not guaranteed and depends on the extent of damages and your state law.  I would call a few used car dealers and explain the damages in detail with a copy of the estimate in front of you, and ask their opinion.  If you get three to say there is dim value, bring this evidence (with details) to GEICO and try to negotiate something.